FCB Nyasa have a chance to go top of the TNM Super League if they beat Blue Eagles today at Nankhaka Stadium in Area 30, Lilongwe after a heavy downpour yesterday disrupted a match between their rivals Mighty Wanderers and Ekhaya FC at Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre.
The Nomads, who currently top the table with 51 points, had a golden opportunity to extend their tally to 54 points with a win.
But after high temperetures in the morning and afternoon, the heavens abruptly opened up just six minutes into the second-half with the match still goalless, making visibility almost impossible.
The referee, Honest Maulana, stopped play in the 52nd minute to assess the situation.
After consulting assistant referees Henry Bello and Joseph Blessings Masuako as well as team captains, he called off the match.
Ironically, 20 minutes after suspending the match, the heavy downpour stopped just as abruptly as it had started.
According to TNM Super League rules and regulations, the referee is at liberty to stop play if he feels the playing conditions are not suitable.
Article 21 of the regulations reads: “In normal circumstances the referee, shall in consultation with the match assessor, decide whether or not a pitch is fit for a fixture.”
The regulations’ Article 22 further say that Super League of Malawi (Sulom) may postpone a match due to unforeseen circumstances, for example, death of a player or official, an act of God [force majeure] or major accidents.”
Following the suspension, Sulom will decide when the match will be played adn whether it will resume from the 53nd minute ro start afresh.
Article 24 of the regulation state that “a match may be replayed if it could not take place or could not be played in full for reasons other than force majeure”.
Regardless of the decision, Bullets now have a chance to overtake the Nomads if they can defeat Blue Eagles.
A win at the Malawi Police Service side’s home will help them leapfrog Wanderers from 49 points to 52 points.
But Bullets are winless in their last two trips to Nankhaka, a situation coach Peter Mponda said speaks volumes of what they should expect.
He said: “But we are ready to bounce back.”
Meanwhile, in another TNM Super League fixture at Dedza Stadium, defending champions Silver Strikers were held to a goalless draw by 14th-placed Goshen City Dedza Dynamos in a match the Bankers played with 10 men following a red card shown to Maxwell Paipi for a foul on Luke Chima just before recess.
In a post-match interview, Silver coach Peter Mgangira blamed the draw on the red card.
He said: “I think we created a lot of chances, especially in the first-half, where we could have got one or two goals. We never utilised the chances.
“In the second-half, the red card disturbed the whole strategy of our game. But we managed to do some substitutions whereby, although we were playing one man less, we still created a lot of chances that would have wind up the game.
“But all in all, I have to praise the boys for the fighting spirit. Playing 10 men away from home, it’s not easy. We have to appreciate that.”
For Dedza coach, Alex Ngwira, the draw was a relief.
“But we should have collected maximum points,” he said.
